September 5, 2020
The message of Deuteronomy is one that the church desperately needs to hear today. These final words of Moses given to the children of Israel as they prepared to enter into the Promised Land serve as a warning, an encouragement, and a charge. Through them, God exposes the idolatry of our hearts and calls us to give all of our love, worship, and devotion to Him alone in every area of our lives! Moses warns the people that when they enter the land there will be things that compete with God for their attention, their affections and their worship. We, too, have hundreds of things that compete for our hearts each and every day. In this book, God teaches us how to properly respond to the amazing grace He has given us by giving Him our undivided allegiance, our whole hearts and our whole lives. Over the next 34 days, let’s seek this ancient way together as a church!
This chapter once again addresses a wide range of topics including justice, violence, and familial obligations. The customs concerning a man marrying his deceased brother’s wife may seem strange to us, but they were woven into the fabric of Israel’s society in order to ensure that the family name would continue. It was considered shameful for a man to refuse to do this for his deceased brother (as is evident from the public shaming he would receive if he refused!) because it was his duty towards his brother!
As believers who are each members of the body of Christ and of one another, we too have obligations and duties towards each other! Just as these laws helped Israelite society to survive and to function, the duties and obligations we have towards each other in the church help the church as a whole to thrive, to glorify God and succeed in its mission!
We exist in a society that generally has a very negative, even hostile, view towards obligation. We don’t want to be obligated to anybody in anything, and we think that we don’t owe anything to anyone! In contrast to this, the biblical picture we see of the church is one where individual members commit themselves to one another and then perform their duties and obligations towards one another with joy and sacrificial love!
Deuteronomy 25
25 “If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty, 2 then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. 3 Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.
4 “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.
Laws Concerning Levirate Marriage
5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’
Miscellaneous Laws
11 “When men fight with one another and the wife of the one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of him who is beating him and puts out her hand and seizes him by the private parts, 12 then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity.
13 “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small.14 You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. 15 A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the Lord your God.
17 “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt,18 how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.19 Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- Why do we tend to have such a negative view of duty and obligation? What are some of the obligations we have towards one another in the church? How we can fulfill the biblical picture of the church through these?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Our mission field is anywhere our eyes fall. It may be right outside our door or even within the walls of our own home. As Christians, we have a duty to share the gospel with whom we come in contact. Please help us be diligent in our search and thoughtful towards others. When we help others, we are also being blessed. Encourage us to be forever mindful of this and lead us wherever You would have us to go. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Heavenly Father,
May you be glorified this day. May your church and all the heavenly hosts magnify your name this day.
For those who do not know you, send your Holy Spirit to open their eyes to see you. Open their hearts to receive you.
Send someone across their path today who will boldly share the gospel, the good news with them.
In all we do, in all we say, in all things we wear, in all things we post on social media, may you be glorified and lifted up.
Forgive me, Father, for the times I fail you. Blot out my sins. Help me, Father, to live this day totally in your will.
I lift this petition to you by and through the name of your only son, Jesus Christ.
Amen
“In all we do, in all we say, in all things we wear, in all things we post on social media, may you be glorified and lifted up.“ Amen!
AMEN and HALLELUJA!!!
Amen!
Heavenly Father, enables us to live out Your truth in Your power for Your global glory today!
God has a heart for those that cannot care for themselves. Thank you Lord for giving us guidelines to live a sacrificial life of serving others.
Holy Spirit I take you for using me to help others and showing me what I must say or do. I did not want to go back on Facebook but you have used this social media for me to pray for others and encourage them thank you.
I will not forget.
Thank you Lord for the reminder that we are to care and show your empathy to all those who come on our path. Let us never forget the widows and those who are in physical need along with sharing your salvation and answer. Thank you for hearing our prayers for the saints! Even before you remove the virus from our community, thank you for restoring our nation to health! To You Be The Glory Forever and Ever Amen.
Thank you Lord for all my blessings. Thank you for keeping my family & me safe & healthy. Thank you for us being able to return to church in person. Please continue to keep us well. Bless those who have lost love ones lately. In Jesus Name, Amen